Two little words never heard in L.A.
humanae vitae
I cannot remember the last time I heard a homily about Humanae Vitae.
L.A. pulpits are silent when it comes to proclaiming the truth and beauty of the Church's teaching regarding God's plan for husbands and wives.
My own people (of Mexican descent) have completely bought into the contraceptive culture. I cannot tell you how many of my primas and tias are on the pill or use the patch or inject the Depo or wear the IUD or están operadas (they've had their tubes tied).
I tell them that it's bad for them, bad for their physical health, bad for their emotional health, fatal to babies that may be conceived (due to the abortiacient nature of most contraceptives) and, most of all, deadly for their souls.
They don't want to listen. They tell me, "El Padre me dijo en la Confesión que no es pecado." [The priest told me in Confession that it isn't a sin]. How do I compete with that? He's the Padre; I'm just their overly religious cousin or nephew. Soy, para ellas, un fanático. [They think I'm a religious fanatic].
The words of the prophet Hosea come to mind (Hosea, 4:6):
" ... my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."
Cardinal Mahony, when did you ever talk to us about Humanae Vitae? You love to talk about welcoming immigrants, paying a living wage to hotel workers, and ending the death penalty. But -- correct me if I am wrong -- what have you ever said or written about the evil of contraception? If the polls are correct, staggering numbers of the souls in your charge are contracepting and you have remained silent. In the 20 years that you have been Archbishop of Los Angeles, I have never heard these two little words -- humanae vitae -- fall from your lips.
The insolence of the sheep is the direct result of the silence of the shepherds.
I cite again the words of the Prophet Hosea (4:9):
"And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds."
Lord, have mercy on Your Church!
I cannot remember the last time I heard a homily about Humanae Vitae.
L.A. pulpits are silent when it comes to proclaiming the truth and beauty of the Church's teaching regarding God's plan for husbands and wives.
My own people (of Mexican descent) have completely bought into the contraceptive culture. I cannot tell you how many of my primas and tias are on the pill or use the patch or inject the Depo or wear the IUD or están operadas (they've had their tubes tied).
I tell them that it's bad for them, bad for their physical health, bad for their emotional health, fatal to babies that may be conceived (due to the abortiacient nature of most contraceptives) and, most of all, deadly for their souls.
They don't want to listen. They tell me, "El Padre me dijo en la Confesión que no es pecado." [The priest told me in Confession that it isn't a sin]. How do I compete with that? He's the Padre; I'm just their overly religious cousin or nephew. Soy, para ellas, un fanático. [They think I'm a religious fanatic].
The words of the prophet Hosea come to mind (Hosea, 4:6):
" ... my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."
Cardinal Mahony, when did you ever talk to us about Humanae Vitae? You love to talk about welcoming immigrants, paying a living wage to hotel workers, and ending the death penalty. But -- correct me if I am wrong -- what have you ever said or written about the evil of contraception? If the polls are correct, staggering numbers of the souls in your charge are contracepting and you have remained silent. In the 20 years that you have been Archbishop of Los Angeles, I have never heard these two little words -- humanae vitae -- fall from your lips.
The insolence of the sheep is the direct result of the silence of the shepherds.
I cite again the words of the Prophet Hosea (4:9):
"And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds."
Lord, have mercy on Your Church!
posted by Quintero at 11:03 PM
14 Comments:
I heard a homily recently about the evils of modernity and false hopes of happiness - the priest specifically mentioned gay marriage, abortion, and the use of condoms as false solutions to the world's problems and contrary to the teachings of the Church. Of course, he is a visiting priest getting his MA at LMU and will be leaving our parish in December.
If anyone is in the Valley, I think St. Genevieve's in Panorama City is a good option for Mass. There are liturgical abuses, but there are not as many as in most LA parishes and there are some young and orthodox priest (at least it seems that way from their homilies).
My comment was in no way a defense of the Cardinal's silence - just wanted to spread a little good news.
Mike, thanks for your comment. I was hoping that my post would elicit responses like yours. I am sure there are exceptions to the rule -- the rule of silence when it comes to the "hot button issues" like abortion and sodomite marriage (sic)-- and I am glad to hear that you have been a witness to some exceptions.
I, too, over the years have heard a FEW homilies here and there which spoke to this issue. But they are far too few and the problem so huge. Again, ultimately the man at the top is responsible for not speaking out himself and also for not leading his priests to do the same.
There are two reasons, I think, that priests do not speak about Humanae Vitae.
First, some priests simply reject its teaching. I would venture to guess, however, that they don't even understand it because they haven't really studied the issue. I am sure there are many good men in the priesthood but they are woefully unprepared. They were not taught the fullness of faith in the seminary.
The other reason for priests not speaking out would be they are basically afraid. They are afraid of controversy, rejection, and most of all, the collection being adversely affected. Let us pray for our shepherds.
Quintero,
I think you are right about the two causes of not preaching on HV. To combat the second reason, I think it's important that when anyone hears a homily that expounds the Faith well and in a straightforward manner, he should make sure that he encourages the priest after Mass. When I can't make it to morning Mass at St. G's, I often go to the to 5pm Mass at St. Franics de Sales in Sherman Oaks. I'm not a fan of the liturgy there (lackadaiscal, disinterested, and ill-prepared alter servers; cantor/cantoress too loud; etc.) but there is an Indian priest there who preaches orthodox homilies and I go out of my way to thank him for that on my way out.
LA is not alone in silence concerning Humanae Vitae. There is a thundering silience - cue the cricketer - concerning this constant teaching of the Church. To often talking about contraception has been followed by the words "follow your concience."
Mike,
That is very good advice, and how appropriate that you mention this today on the Memorial of St. Barnabas whose name means, I learned at Mass this morning, "son of encouragement." We should all be Barnabases to our priests when they do things right.
I tried to be a Barnabas to our Cardinal in posting the beautiful words that he spoke at the priesthood ordination Mass. I can't argue with those words. The Cardinal was right on, but sadly, the words do not get translated into actions.
The ignoring of Humanae Vitae is one cause of the problems we see in the Church now. Pope Paul VI was entirely prophetic in what he wrote and we are ssing the effects just as he said we would.
I was sterilized-by a Catholic Doctor too--and years later when I realized my sin, the priest went, "So?". God help them, the priests are responsible! The people know in their deep hearts that what they are doing is wrong but for priests to condone is may be eternally deadly for their souls. We also had a pastor who
said contraception was a 'matter of conscience' but the thing is that our consciences have not been trained in the true faith for 40 years now in many places.
We are sheep without true shepherds! May God hear our cries for holy and true priests and bishops.
Ave Maria!
Hosea 4:6
Anonymous, my heart goes out to you.
My own people (of Mexican descent) have completely bought into the contraceptive culture.
Sadly, even without a Masonic government leading the charge, the contraceptive mentality has invaded and saturated Mexico itself to a dismaying degree. I will never forget how matter-of-factly it was described by a nurse a few years ago in Yucatán how "Indian" (rural Maya; the speaker was townie Maya) mothers' fallopian tubes were tied without their previous consent OR KNOWLEDGE during post-partum care after they had already had "enough children." It was obviously good for these ignoramuses, a benefit provided by the Mexican government (although I wonder if a few dollars did not somehow get mixed in among the pesos). Of course, the subtext is crypto-Nazi Margaret Sanger's: we really do not want these inferior beings on our planet.
Then there are American "medical professionals" in a "clinic" in Guanajuato who are semidiscreet in their assistance to Mexican women. Their stated purpose is to liberate them from the federal anti-abortion laws. In the meantime, ... ?
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, ¡ruega por nosotros!
Read "A Pro-Life Road Map for the '90's" by Roger Cardinal Mahony to diocesan pro-life directors in 1993. At one time, Mahony served on the US Bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities.
Referenced Here.
Anonymous 5:00pm,
The topic here really is contraception. I do not dispute that Cardinal Mahony has spoken to the issue of abortion. But the root cause of abortion is contraception. Humanae Vitae predicted that what we have today -- abortion on demand with millions of little boys and little girls dying as a result of surgical abortion -- would be one of the fruits of legitimizing contraception. The question remains: where has Cd. Mahony ever spoken clearly and forcefully about the grave evil of contraception?
Anonymous 5:00 P.M.
Hey! Hey!
Quintero - I believe that when contraception was first oked for couples - I wondered what the impact would be. Now we have seen that children are no longer seen as a blessing - but as a burden.
And we are not only seeing abortions because of that mentality (for less than 1 % of abortions are done for dire medical complications) - but now we have parents murdering their older children.
Death has come through accepting contraceptives - because -contraceptives are a rejection of life!
And that - is - a rejection of God's will - for "He is the creator of us and not we ourselves."
Psalms 100:3 -
Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
I forgot to add - many "good" Catholic couples now have the "perfect" salt-n-pepper shaker combination of families. That is - one girl and one boy - and no more...
What ever happened to the good old fashioned large Catholic families?
Most don't even realize that Margaret Sanger (An advocate for birth control, women's rights, and founder of Planned Parenthood) was one of the one who recommended that all couples should have the "perfect" family one one girl and one boy!
How many families do you know with two children? It will astound you!
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